For a while, this could produce the illusion of stability, as foreign opponents press their opportunities less-aggressively than they otherwise might, and allies decline to make concomitant demands, for fear of upsetting a shaky apple cart or provoking a possibly irrational administration. They might even over-read the tea leaves to justify this as something more than caution, but as patience that may be amply rewarded, as China may be doing with respect to the Korean situation.

But eventually one of two things will happen. Either the world won’t be able to hold its breath any longer, and the pent up tensions will explode — and we’ll find out just what that looks like with Donald Trump as president. Or Trump will, whether in 2020 or on some other date, leave office, and the world will breathe a sigh of relief.

And what happens then?